2006 Preview: Chicago Cubs

The big question surrounding the Chicago Cubs this season, as it has been for the past few, is will their pitching staff be healthy enough to hit Craig Biggio with a pitch in 2006? 3 time past plunker Kerry Wood is starting the season on the DL, along with fellow starter Mark Prior. Greg Maddux is healthy though, and he might be getting nostalgic over his early days in Atlanta when he plunked Biggio twice. Maddux turns 40 next month, and hit 7 batters last year. Carlos Zambrano has hit Biggio twice and hit a total of 8 batters last season. Glendon Rusch hit Biggio with a pitch in 2004, and hit only 1 batter last season.
The Cubs leader in plunking batters in 2005 was Jerome Williams who hit 9 for the Cubs after hitting one for the Giants before moving to Chicago. Williams is expected to have a spot in the rotation, at least until some of the injured starters come back. Also, former Astro Wade Miller figures into the Cubs starting pitching, somehow. If he can return to good health he could join the list of former teammates who have hit Craig Biggio with a pitch.

Base on career statistics against the Cubs, Craig Biggio's probability of being plunked by them at least once this year is 75.9%. They are 41.4% probable to hit him 2 or more times, and 0.05% likely to hit him 7 or more times.